Susan Brown co-author of the book, Salt Rising Bread: Recipes and Heartfelt Stories of a Nearly Lost Appalachian Tradition will join us at the Ronceverte Public Library on Sunday, Apr. 30, from 2 to 4 p.m. to promote her book.
During her visit she will share the story behind her Salt Rising Bread Project … “Keeping the tradition alive,” and the actual making of the bread. Susan will also have a few samples of her bread for visitors to experience and a few stories she has gleaned during her project.
Susan grew up in Ronceverte, where she learned to make salt rising bread nearly 25 years ago from Cherie Davis’ grandmother, Katheryn Erwin, who also lived in Ronceverte for most of her life. Making salt rising bread has been a time-honored family tradition for Susan. The skill has been handed down from her grandmother, who made it all of her life as did her mother and grandmother.
Drawn to understand this beloved heritage bread more deeply, Susan and a friend, Jenny Bardwell, have spent over 20 years extensively researching its history, lore and science. This quest has taken them to libraries and bread museums across the United States and Europe, as well as into the kitchens and living rooms of hundreds of expert salt rising bread bakers. They have written a book that has everything in it that they have learned about salt rising bread over those years.
She lives just outside of Morgantown with her husband of 34 years, where they have raised their son and daughter, a few dogs and several chickens.
